Derek Mason recently left Auburn after only one year as the team’s defensive coordinator to take the same position on Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State staff.

While Mason’s new contract would make him the highest-paid coordinator in Oklahoma State history, it’s still nothing close to what he was making at Auburn.

As you can see below, Mason is in line to make $1.1 million per year with the Cowboys — down $400,000 from his yearly Auburn salary:

That’s obviously not a great sign for the current situation at Auburn. Mason was willing to take a pay cut to make a lateral move.

Clearly, things aren’t great at Auburn right now. Mason apparently wanted no part of the ongoing turmoil.